Rising temperatures and wildfire smoke threaten health gains as climate pressures intensify worldwide.

Increasing pollution from wildfires and heatwaves risks undermining efforts to improve air quality and protect human and ecosystem health, according to a new World Meteorological Organization report.

Wildfire Smoke Events Triple Globally
The World Meteorological Organization, or WMO, warned on September 7 that extreme wildfire smoke events have increased roughly threefold worldwide since the 1990s. The research estimated that the increase in extreme fire-smoke events contributed to nearly 100,000 additional deaths per year between 2010 and 2018.

PM2.5 May Be More Dangerous Than Estimated
WMO said an epidemiological study found that conventional risk models based on total PM2.5 concentrations may underestimate wildfire-attributable mortality by up to 93 percent because they do not adequately account for the higher toxicity of fire-derived particles. PM2.5 consists of microscopic particles and droplets less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter that can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream.

Heatwaves Intensify Ground-Level Ozone
Wildfires are not the only climate-related threat to air quality. WMO said higher temperatures, stagnant atmospheric conditions, and intense sunlight during heatwaves encourage the formation of ground-level ozone, a pollutant associated with respiratory disease and increased mortality. The organization warned that rising ozone exposure could contribute to tens of thousands of additional premature deaths as extreme heat becomes more common.

Climate and Air Pollution Must Be Tackled Together
WMO stressed that climate change and air pollution cannot be addressed as separate problems because each can intensify the other. Wildfires release particulate matter and other pollutants while also producing greenhouse gases, and hotter conditions can create environments more favorable to both fires and ozone pollution. The organization called for coordinated climate and air-quality policies alongside improved atmospheric monitoring of fine particulate matter, ground-level ozone, black carbon and microplastics.

Smoke Can Travel Across National Borders
The effects of wildfires can extend thousands of kilometers beyond the burning area as smoke crosses borders, oceans, and entire regions. WMO has emphasized that wildfire smoke can create transboundary air-pollution risks, with emissions capable of affecting populations far from the source. Improved monitoring, forecasting, and early-warning systems will therefore be increasingly important as climate conditions raise the likelihood of future smoke events.

WMO’s warning reinforces that air pollution is increasingly connected to the wider climate crisis rather than being solely an urban or industrial problem. For Indonesians, preventing forest and land fires is critical not only for local health and ecosystems but also for limiting pollution that can spread across the region. Singaporeans are similarly affected because transboundary haze can rapidly deteriorate air quality, making stronger Indonesian prevention measures and continued regional cooperation increasingly important.

Sources: Batampos (2026) , RRI (2026)

Keywords: WMO Air Quality, Wildfire Smoke Pollution, Heatwave Air Pollution, PM2.5 Health Risks, Climate Change Air Quality, Transboundary Haze